PeterN_H |
Jan 27th, 2003 07:40 PM |
400 yuan!? What were you thinking of?<BR><BR>Around Y80 should be plenty if you take a Y1.6 per km taxi from outside the terminal, plus Y10 for the expressway toll.<BR><BR>Just ignore anyone who approaches you in the terminal ("Hello! Taxi?") and make straight for the rank outside. There's a greater chance of being taken for a ride here than if you just flag down a taxi in the street--the bad eggs who look for the new and unwary like to wait here, but if you avoid the touts in the arrivals hall, nine times out of ten you'll be all right. <BR><BR>For extra security, if you feel you need it, look to check the meter isn't already running and that your view of it is not obscured in any way. If it is, choose another cab. On the dashboard on the passenger side a supervision card should be clearly displayed with a picture of the driver, his licence number, and a telephone number for complaints. If it's not there, choose another cab. Let one person sit in the front with a map of Beijing on her lap following the route (or pretending to). Any problem, point meaningfully at the supervision card, and write down the telephone number. But you shouldn't have problems, and the taxi driver should be happy with such a relatively long run. The taxi should head straight into town on the airport expressway, then take the fourth ring road (Si Huan) south, or go in further and take the third ring road (San Huan) south, finally turning right (west) straight along what will eventually be Jianguo Men Wai Dajie. Some may go to the third ring and cut down to the second, then head south, but it will be nearly 8am by then, so this would be very ill-advised, due to traffic. Slow traffic on Jianguo Men Wai may also add to your costs, but still not more than Y100 (in a Y1.6 cab).<BR><BR>Alternatively, take the 'A Line' airport coach to San Yuan Qiao (NOT the B or C line). This leaves every few minutes from outside the right hand end of the terminal. Y16 per person. Bags go on the front seats of the bus, and usually the conductor will help you put them there. At San Yuan Qiao you'll be dropped on the edge of the third ring, on the right side of the road (south bound), and can flag down a passing cab which may even cost you as little as Y1.2 per km, and you'll reach the New Otani, for Y12 to Y14, max Y20 if things are really slow. All in, for two people, the whole journey, say Y55, tops.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR> http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html
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